The refreshing coolness of the water washed over the dark stallion as he rolled for a brief moment of throwing caution to the wind. It felt good to forget his worries for on those few, short minutes between lowering himself into the water and standing back up. He wondered how long the silence and calm would last in the forest, both willing it continue and end simultaneously. He’d kept close tabs on where is mare’s and children were, but as yet he hadn’t pushed to force them together; that was after all, more of the boss mare’s job, and Xina had been as reclusive as the rest. He had every faith that she would be where she was needed as and when she was needed, however.

Standing in the shallows of the stream, water dripping from his soaked hair back into the gentle current, his ears swivelled at the rare sound of approaching hoofbeats. Moving back up onto the bank, he dipped his head down to graze while he awaited the arrival of Xina and their child, whom he had only caught brief glances of through the trees. He raised his head again only when his name was spoken as the duo appeared from the behind the tree trunks.

The filly had grown on well and possessed favourable features from both her parents. Pride swelled in the skull-faced stallion’s chest for another strong and healthy daughter. ”Xina” he greeted back, and moved closer, extending his muzzle to the bay roan first with just the right amount of caution required when meeting a mare’s foal for the first time, regardless of whether the child is his. Mares could be funny about their foals so111metimes, and Xina could be a spitfire at the best of times, never mind with a new filly in toe.

When she introduced the girl however, Olaf turned most (but not all!) his attention to the girl. ”It is good to finally meet you” he told her and offered his nose, equally curious, ”What has your mother told you about our herd?” and how much more did he need to teach her…